“We did ‘My Fair Lady’ that summer. So there I was, first time ever at the playhouse in the chorus, loving every minute of it, and now we’ve come full circle, and I’m directing the same show,” Bryant says.

“My Fair Lady” symbolizes how Bryant’s life has stayed the same while also always changing, especially returning to the playhouse last year as associate artistic director after teaching theater at North Henderson High School for three years.

“That was the hardest job I’ve ever done — hands down,” she admits. “I miss that kind of immersion. Every day I went to work I had the wonderful experience of knowing and seeing the impact I was having. … It feels kind of like God’s work. I miss that. It was so hard but so profoundly gratifying.”

That impact was felt equally by her students. Dylan Ritch, a North Henderson graduate and sophomore at East Carolina University who is studying theater arts, is grateful for Bryant’s influence. She helped him find his passion as she directed him in shows such as “Alice in Wonderland” (her own adaptation) and “Three Musketeers” by Ken Ludwig. She also directed “Three Musketeers” last season at FRP.

“She was like the sun,” Ritch says, with all the enthusiasm of a young actor, “warm enough to give life to my work and bright enough to keep me focused on my goals.”

Bryant appreciates that her new position allows her to combine teaching with her other great love — theater, both requiring some of the same skills. Whether as a teacher or director, “still guiding people.”

Although most of her directorial duties have been with younger performers, Bryant is now directing adults, some of whom were her former mentors and teachers when she herself was a student.

“In this new position, I’m transitioning, obviously, to get to work with adults more,” she says. “And I would say that teaching is as much about learning from your pupils — to learn a lot again by what the professionals are bringing to the table and learning to speak everyone’s unique language.”

Some might think working with seasoned professionals after working with young actors just beginning their interests in theater would be difficult. Not Bryant.

“You know what you want,” she says with confidence. “You know the vision for the piece and then you fill those roles with people you believe can take you there.”

She also gives credit to those former mentors whom she now finds herself directing, FRP favorites such as Scott Treadway, Ralph Redpath, Barbara Bradshaw, Linda Edwards and Jane Bushway, to name just a few.

“They remember me the first time I was in the chorus,” Bryant says. “They remember me when I got my equity card. They have been so gracious and so supportive and so encouraging, just professional. It’s exciting to take on that challenge and begin asserting myself and continuing to grow.”

And yet it is working with apprentices that is still the highlight.

“My favorite thing about being associate artistic director is being close to the apprentices,” Bryant says, recognizing that her own experience changed her life.

Her face brightens as she recalls the excitement of that summer, even though she spent the bulk of the time toiling away in the workshop. “I loved it,” she says. “What I came away with that summer is how many artists it takes to put on a show,” she says. “It’s kind of a mystery and kind of a miracle.”

Although she was being introduced to a whole new side of theater, Bryant will never forget the one chance she had to step on the stage that summer, in the chorus of ‘My Fair Lady,’ watching the expertise of seasoned actors and learning from them — foremost perhaps, Kim Cozort, who has made frequent appearances on the Flat Rock Playhouse stage.

“Kim Cozort was Eliza,” Bryant recalls. “I greatly admired her. She was so nice, so genuine. I remember thinking, ‘I want to be like that — I want to be that talented. I want to be nice and approachable.’ I watched everything.”

A year later, she took that knowledge to professional auditions at the Southeastern Theater Conference, one of the nation’s largest professional and educational theater organizations in the country, and landed her first professional acting job at Lakes Region Theater in Meredith, N.H., once again performing in “My Fair Lady,” no longer in the chorus, but as Eliza Doolittle herself.

Although she left the area for a time to receive her MFA in acting at the University of Central Florida, her heart has never been far away from The Rock, and she found herself frequently coming back to do shows, including a standout performance in the musical “42nd Street” as the starry-eyed Peggy Sawyer.

“I’ve definitely grown up here,” Bryant says. “Every time I’ve come back, I’ve been awarded with a nod for the experiences I got while I was away and then given extra responsibilities, extra opportunities.”

Twenty years later comes the opportunity of directing “My Fair Lady,” working closely with one of her former mentors, choreographer Amy Jones, directing seasoned actors and young apprentices, continuing to teach and learn, loving every minute of it.

“It feels very poetic — very romantic. It also happens to be true,” she says. “I came in as a kid loving theater. I was raw. But to be in this place with these people — Paige Posey, Robin Farquhar, Dale Bartlett, Scott Treadway — now new names like Vince Marini, Hillary Hart, Dave Hart. I’ve had so many teachers who’ve impacted me and nurtured me and continued to see something special, helped me grow so that I’m blooming. I’ve bloomed here.”

<p>When the curtain rises June 12 on “My Fair Lady” at Flat Rock Playhouse, Associate Artistic Director Lisa K. Bryant will experience what she calls a “full circle moment.”</p><p>Twenty years ago, Bryant, studying musical theater at Elon University, spent the summer in the FRP apprenticeship program.</p><p>“We did 'My Fair Lady' that summer. So there I was, first time ever at the playhouse in the chorus, loving every minute of it, and now we've come full circle, and I'm directing the same show,” Bryant says.</p><p>“My Fair Lady” symbolizes how Bryant's life has stayed the same while also always changing, especially returning to the playhouse last year as associate artistic director after teaching theater at North Henderson High School for three years.</p><p>“That was the hardest job I've ever done — hands down,” she admits. “I miss that kind of immersion. Every day I went to work I had the wonderful experience of knowing and seeing the impact I was having. … It feels kind of like God's work. I miss that. It was so hard but so profoundly gratifying.”</p><p>That impact was felt equally by her students. Dylan Ritch, a North Henderson graduate and sophomore at East Carolina University who is studying theater arts, is grateful for Bryant's influence. She helped him find his passion as she directed him in shows such as “Alice in Wonderland” (her own adaptation) and “Three Musketeers” by Ken Ludwig. She also directed “Three Musketeers” last season at FRP.</p><p>“She was like the sun,” Ritch says, with all the enthusiasm of a young actor, “warm enough to give life to my work and bright enough to keep me focused on my goals.”</p><p>Bryant appreciates that her new position allows her to combine teaching with her other great love — theater, both requiring some of the same skills. Whether as a teacher or director, “still guiding people.”</p><p>Although most of her directorial duties have been with younger performers, Bryant is now directing adults, some of whom were her former mentors and teachers when she herself was a student.</p><p>“In this new position, I'm transitioning, obviously, to get to work with adults more,” she says. “And I would say that teaching is as much about learning from your pupils — to learn a lot again by what the professionals are bringing to the table and learning to speak everyone's unique language.”</p><p>Some might think working with seasoned professionals after working with young actors just beginning their interests in theater would be difficult. Not Bryant.</p><p>“You know what you want,” she says with confidence. “You know the vision for the piece and then you fill those roles with people you believe can take you there.”</p><p>She also gives credit to those former mentors whom she now finds herself directing, FRP favorites such as Scott Treadway, Ralph Redpath, Barbara Bradshaw, Linda Edwards and Jane Bushway, to name just a few.</p><p>“They remember me the first time I was in the chorus,” Bryant says. “They remember me when I got my equity card. They have been so gracious and so supportive and so encouraging, just professional. It's exciting to take on that challenge and begin asserting myself and continuing to grow.”</p><p>And yet it is working with apprentices that is still the highlight.</p><p>“My favorite thing about being associate artistic director is being close to the apprentices,” Bryant says, recognizing that her own experience changed her life.</p><p>Her face brightens as she recalls the excitement of that summer, even though she spent the bulk of the time toiling away in the workshop. “I loved it,” she says. “What I came away with that summer is how many artists it takes to put on a show,” she says. “It's kind of a mystery and kind of a miracle.”</p><p>Although she was being introduced to a whole new side of theater, Bryant will never forget the one chance she had to step on the stage that summer, in the chorus of 'My Fair Lady,' watching the expertise of seasoned actors and learning from them — foremost perhaps, Kim Cozort, who has made frequent appearances on the Flat Rock Playhouse stage.</p><p>“Kim Cozort was Eliza,” Bryant recalls. “I greatly admired her. She was so nice, so genuine. I remember thinking, 'I want to be like that — I want to be that talented. I want to be nice and approachable.' I watched everything.”</p><p>A year later, she took that knowledge to professional auditions at the Southeastern Theater Conference, one of the nation's largest professional and educational theater organizations in the country, and landed her first professional acting job at Lakes Region Theater in Meredith, N.H., once again performing in “My Fair Lady,” no longer in the chorus, but as Eliza Doolittle herself.</p><p>Although she left the area for a time to receive her MFA in acting at the University of Central Florida, her heart has never been far away from The Rock, and she found herself frequently coming back to do shows, including a standout performance in the musical “42nd Street” as the starry-eyed Peggy Sawyer.</p><p>“I've definitely grown up here,” Bryant says. “Every time I've come back, I've been awarded with a nod for the experiences I got while I was away and then given extra responsibilities, extra opportunities.”</p><p>Twenty years later comes the opportunity of directing “My Fair Lady,” working closely with one of her former mentors, choreographer Amy Jones, directing seasoned actors and young apprentices, continuing to teach and learn, loving every minute of it.</p><p>“It feels very poetic — very romantic. It also happens to be true,” she says. “I came in as a kid loving theater. I was raw. But to be in this place with these people — Paige Posey, Robin Farquhar, Dale Bartlett, Scott Treadway — now new names like Vince Marini, Hillary Hart, Dave Hart. I've had so many teachers who've impacted me and nurtured me and continued to see something special, helped me grow so that I'm blooming. I've bloomed here.”</p>